Gabrielle - The Return of Voldemort
by Undercover Angel
Summary: Fleur pays Harry a visit soon after Cedric's death. But Ron and Hermione aren't too happy to see her, though for slightly different reasons. When Fleur's sister vanishes, Harry vows to help her find the child, leading to more than either of them planned.
1. One

GABRIELLE 

**GABRIELLE**

_**A Harry Potter Fanfiction by [Niamh][1]**_   
  


**Part One**   
  


_Dear Harry,_   
  


_Excuse me very much for my bad English. I come back to England August 1 and hope very much that I see you then. I cannot thank you enough for your bravery in the second task, my sister Gabrielle means much to me and I wish I could save her myself, but you did it anyway, though she was not your captive. Give a hello to your friends Ron and Harmony, who I think Viktor invited to his house in Bulgaria for the month of June, I hope she enjoys it there._   
  


_Amitiés,_   
  


_Ton amie,_   
  


_Fleur Delacour_   
  


Having consulted an old French-English school dictionary of Aunt Petunia's that had been lying around, and discovering that 'amitiés' meant 'regards', and 'ton amie' translated as 'your friend', which suitably relieved Harry, he began to look over Fleur's letter again. 

It was certainly interesting. Though her words were not always perfectly chosen, her 'bad' English was remarkably good; he at least understood what she was trying to say. 

He grinned upon her mentioning Ron and 'Harmony'; Hermione would most certainly not like that little mistake. 

Not, of course, that Harry was going to tell her. He didn't see the harm in telling Ron though, so long as he didn't go overboard and gloat about it to Hermione.He somehow sensed that Hermione hadn't too high an opinion of Fleur - odd, in a way, as she had enthused about France and French people in general since her holiday there before the start of their third year at Hogwarts.   
  


Throwing away thoughts of Hermione, as they were only confusing him further, Harry reached under the loose floorboard and fingered his Invisibility Cloak. He sighed. Just to be sure it was there. Ever since the rise of Voldemort, he had been anxious for his own safety. Maybe Voldemort could see through Invisibility Cloaks, but it was the only thing that had belonged to Harry's father that Harry himself retained. Harry's father, James, and his mother, Lily, had been murdered by Voldemort when Harry had been just one year old, and Voldemort had attempted to kill Harry too, but his _Avada Kedavra_ curse had rebounded onto Voldemort himself, leaving him bodyless and for the most part, powerless. 

_ _

However, this year, with a cunning plan that involved a Death Eater posing as a teacher at Hogwarts, Voldemort had ensured that Harry won the Triwizard Tournament, in which he had competed against Fleur, and Viktor Krum (whom she had mentioned in her letter)... and Cedric. Voldemort had killed Cedric, with whom Harry had tied in first place, and had taken blood from Harry in order to get his body back. Harry still felt a chill when he even touched over events of that night. He had got away in the end, due (in part) to the help of sceptres of his parents, who had erupted from Voldemort's wand.He had grabbed Cedric's body, Summoned the Portkey and returned to Hogwarts. Harry couldn't help thinking that he had been extremely lucky.   
  


_Why me? Why me?_ he thought to himself, pacing around the room. _Why did Cedric have to die? Why was I able to live? It's not fair._ Behind him the handsome barn owl who had delivered Fleur's letter hooted. Harry recalled himself. "She wants a reply, right?" he asked the owl, who just hooted again in reply. Feeling that was as good a response as he was going to get, Harry hastily grabbed a quill and parchment and wrote:   
  


_Dear Fleur,_   
  


_I'm looking forward to seeing you when you come to England. Where do you want us to meet up? My friend Hermione is fine, as far as I know she did not go to Bulgaria, she has not sent me word yet. Ron is well also. I hope your sister is well._   
  


_Your friend,_   
  


_Harry Potter._   
  


Harry felt a little awkward signing his full name, but then Fleur had signed hers, so he wasn't going to go against that. He folded the paper, sealed it and placed it under the barn owl's beak, who hooted happily again and took flight against the navy early-morning sky. It was two in the morning. At the Dursleys' house, Harry usually slept by day and stayed up at night. He could do things that were ordinary to him, such as send owl post, when the Dursleys were asleep, so they couldn't possibly object, and when they were awake, he slept, so he ended up avoiding them the majority of the time, which Harry liked best.   
  


Hedwig, Harry's own snowy owl, was out delivering a message, and hopefully bringing one back with her too. It had not been a word of a lie when Harry had written to Fleur that he hadn't heard from Hermione about Bulgaria, in fact he hadn't heard from her since school had broken up. He was getting worried and so had sent yet another note to Hermione. If this one didn't get a response, he would write to Ron about it, and see if he had had better luck in getting in contact with her. He stared out of the window, his keen eyes suddenly noticing a small shadow and a distant hoot. Fleur's owl? But no, the hoot was getting closer, Fleur's owl wouldn't be returning, would it? Maybe it was Hedwig, with a reply from Hermione? Harry got no more chance to think, however, as a furry thing suddenly flew into his face.   
  


"Get off me, aaargh!" Harry tried to bat it away, but from the constant hooting, guessed what, or rather who, it was. "Get off, Pigwidgeon, just get off!"   
  


Pigwidgeon hooted at the sound of his name and duly landed on top of Hedwig's cage, but not for long. Before Harry had had time to seize Ron's letter from him, he was off again, flying around the room.   
  


"Pigwidgeon, give me the letter!" Harry cried in frustration.

Finally, seeing as the owl wouldn't budge, Harry seized his Firebolt and kicked off into the air, his head narrowly missing the ceiling (_A good thing I missed it, the Dursleys mightn't sleep through _that_ noise_, thought Harry to himself). In a matter of seconds he had seized Pigwidgeon, flapping about helplessly, and retrieved the letter, before landing neatly on his bed. Unfolding the letter, he scanned it briefly before reading what Ron had to say :   
  


_Dear Harry,_

_Hope you're alright, I'm still a bit miffed that Dumbledore wouldn't let you come to stay with us. Personally I can't see why you have to stay with those bloody mean Muggles when you could have a really good time here. Percy keeps saying "it's for the best", but what would he know. _

_Bill's home by the way. Gringotts have finished their restructuring of their Egyptian branch and they need extra cashiers in Diagon Alley, so he's working there now. Fred and George love the idea that Bill is working with goblins. You could say he really sticks out at work._

_Percy's not too happy as he's just a normal office assistant again at the Department of Magical Co-operation. Ha ha ha. The twins are re-planning Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes now, but with Lee Jordan in tow as well. They've made sugar mice that turn into real ones when you scream at it. Wouldn't I love to set one on Malfoy. _

_Have you heard from Hermione? She hasn't written at all, it's a bit weird. Well, tell me how you're coping. Mum's ready to send lots of cakes and stuff to you, only she doesn't think Pig and Errol are up to carrying it all, and Percy refuses to lend us Hermes, the git. _  
  


_Ron _  
  


Harry laughed as he read this, but the final paragraph worried him a little. Apart from the fact that Pigwidgeon and Errol could in all probability die from exhaustion carrying food to _him_, there was the small matter of Hermione not writing. Despite himself, Harry began to feel slightly worried about it. 

   [1]: mailto:reelworld@iol.ie



	2. Two

**GABRIELLE** **- The Return of Voldemort**

**_A Harry Potter Fanfiction by _****_[][1]_****Niamh**  
  


**Part Two**   
  


To Harry's annoyance, he found he had dozed off soon after reading Ron's letter, and outside it was now fully bright. He had been worried about Hermione, he remembered. Ron had said he hadn't got a letter from her either. Well, if Hedwig returned with the letter Harry had given her for Hermione, he'd...   
  


He didn't get a chance to finish that thought as he heard a faint swish of wings, and hoping against hope it was who he thought it was, turned back to the window. Hedwig stood there, hooting happily, a letter in her beak. Harry took it gently, crossing his fingers as he did so - it could just be his letter returned once again. But one look at the handwriting and the writing paper convinced him it was not. His heart soared. It was indeed Hermione.   
  


_Harry,_

_I'm all right; don't have a heart attack about me! I suppose Ron is ready to send the Ministry of Magic out after me, well you can tell him there is no need. I am in Bulgaria with Viktor. It's a bit different to England all right, though Viktor's family is perfectly nice to me, and I like them a lot. All the same, Viktor is very busy with Quidditch so we don't get to talk as much as I'd like, but he is showing me around the place whenever he has the time. _

_I've bought some very interesting books here, Bulgaria is such a fascinating country of course, I want to learn all I can, especially since Viktor lives so near to where the Bulgarian Goblin Rebellions took place in 1353. It is very relevant to our History of Magic course. I hope you're studying for your OWLs. I needn't ask if Ron is. Hope the Dursleys aren't treating you too badly. I'm going to send an owl to Ginny now to tell her I'm all right, but I have to wait for Viktor's to come back (it really is irritating, not having your own owl sometimes, but then Crookshanks is such a dear, I wouldn't be without him), so you can tell Ron to calm down, I've just been so busy I didn't get a chance to write, and it does take longer to come from Bulgaria, you know._

_We'll meet up in Diagon Alley, I hope, but I'll be back home before that._

_Love from Hermione_   
  


Harry felt relieved. At least that was one thing off his mind, with an evil wizard after him; he didn't want to be worried about his best friend's whereabouts as well! Speaking of best friends... Harry thought he owed Ron a letter, a reply to the one he had already received that night, and to tell him that Hermione was okay. He rustled around under the loose floorboard, took up a quill and paper, and began to write. 

Ron was far more anxious about Hermione than Harry had been. He had sat through breakfast with a look of anguish on his face. Fred and George had thought this hilarious - "Having woman trouble, Ronniekins?" - but they had luckily disappeared soon afterwards to practice Apparating - provided they passed the test, they would get their licence in one week, and that was enough to spur them on. Percy and Mr Weasley hadn't noticed at all, things were so busy at the Ministry lately that they basically ate, slept and worked most of the day. Ron noticed that for once, Mrs Weasley didn't complain about it. He had a feeling it was something to do with Voldemort. Even Percy wasn't boasting about what important jobs he had ahead of him, a sure sign if Ron had ever seen one. Another one was his mother's careful replies whenever he asked her about it.   
  


"Why are Dad and Percy working such long hours?" he'd asked her. "Fudge never needed them that long. Is it something to do with You-Know-Who? Are they helping Dumbledore?"   
  


"Why, of course not, dear," Mrs Weasley would reply, pretending to be busy with cleaning, or making a stew, but never with her mind fully to the subject, and she would always finish with "Run along now, dear."Eventually Ron got fed up with this. So on that particular morning, he lost the rag altogether, and shouted, "This is my best friend we're talking about, Mum! Harry! You-Know-Who is after my best friend, so if you don't mind, I would like to know if my brother and my dad are going to help him or not!"   
  


"Dumbledore has given them strict orders not to discuss it outside their families," said Mrs Weasley with pursed lips. "Harry and Hermione aren't to know this. I don't even know much about it, when I do, I will tell you, Ron, but not _now_."   
  


Ron turned on his foot and stormed upstairs. He met Ginny coming out of her bedroom, looking very flushed. "What's wrong with you?" she asked him, looking like she was trying to stop her lips curling into a smile.   
  


"Mum won't tell me _anything_ about what Dad and Percy are doing at the Ministry," Ron moaned. "It's not as if I don't have a right to know either! If... I mean, now that You-Know-Who is back, the first person he will want to get is Harry. Harry only just escaped before! He's my best friend... why won't they tell me?" He stamped his foot impatiently and hit a nail on one of the floorboards. "Owww!" He howled with pain and hopped around. Ginny was looking pale, though not, thought Ron seething, because of the nail at all. "R-Ron," she stammered, "y-you don't think he'll get Harry? Do-do you think he'll come after me as well?"   
  


Ron felt like a bomb had hit him and destroyed all his insides. How could he have been so insensitive, of course, Ginny was worried. Ever since her first year when Tom Riddle's diary had enchanted her to open the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny had been even touchier about the subject of Voldemort.The family had always been careful about the mention of him around her, even if no one in the Weasley household dared say his name – the only people Ron knew who did were Dumbledore, Professor Lupin, and Harry.That thought brought him to his senses."Ginny, I will never let You-Know-Who get you, never ever, that is, of course, if he goes near you, but I doubt he will, that diary was written when he was _sixteen_, he's not going to be too worried about it, is he?And Harry, well you saw Cedric at the end of the Triwizard Tournament," (Ginny gave a little sob), "he died, but Harry survived through all that.He's strong, you know.He's the only student in Hogwarts who says You-Know-Who's name, not even stinking Malfoy does."

"I just… I'm worried," Ginny said, wiping her tears."Things are different now, really different.I don't know if I feel safe anymore.And if Harry dies, who's there left?"  
  


"Harry won't die," said Ron, teeth clenched."He can't, he won't.Dumbledore wouldn't let it.And You-Know-Who can't do anything with Dumbledore around.Harry will be all right, Ginny, honestly."However, Ginny still looked uneasy.Awkwardly, Ron put his arm around her.Sometimes you had to do these things with girls.It was the same when Hermione was upset… Hermione.He suddenly recalled her."Ginny… you didn't get an owl from Hermione lately, by any chance?"He tried to sound casual.Unfortunately, Ron's take on 'casual' wouldn't have fooled anyone.Ginny couldn't help grinning."You haven't heard from her, have you?Getting worried?"  
  


"She usually writes, that's all," said Ron, fiddling with some thread at the edge of his sleeve.Ginny raised an eyebrow."She's probably studying for her OWLs!You know what Hermione is like!"  
  


"Yeah," muttered Ron.He knew what she was like, all right… or did he?After the Yule Ball, he hadn't been sure of anything about Hermione anymore.Like it or not, Hermione was a _girl_.Ron had been trying to avoid that fact for the entire time that he had known her, but when he'd seen her that night with Krum, he'd felt butterflies in his stomach as he looked at her, and had badly wanted to punch Krum's lights out.This was not normal Ron behaviour.True, if it had been Malfoy, it would have been most _definitely_ Ron behaviour, or if Krum had insulted him or his family.But he hadn't.He was still a damned good Quidditch player (as Ron had stated so many times before the ball), and according to Harry as well as Hermione, a very nice bloke.Harry wouldn't have lied about him to Ron.Hermione was different – she didn't know what she was saying.Krum obviously had her bewitched or something.There was no _way_ she really liked him…  
  


"Didn't Hermione say that Viktor Krum invited her to Bulgaria for this month?" asked Ginny keenly, awakening him from his reverie.He mumbled in assent, not trusting himself to speak."Well, perhaps that's it, then," Ginny continued, eyes sparkling."She may be just having too good a time with Viktor to write…"  
  


"I'm going to find Fred and George," Ron snapped at her, and went as if to head up to his room, when Ginny reminded him, "Ehmm, Ron, they were outside."  
  


"So what?"  
  


"And you are going upstairs."  
  


"So what, I just thought of something I wanted to get first!" Ron barked.  
  


"Yes, but why are you going to find them?You were annoyed with them at breakfast, and they went off to practice Apparating.What's the use of following them?_You_ can't practice – you're not seventeen."  
  


"Don't remind me!" Ron yelled angrily."I'm not _Viktor Krum_."And he marched downstairs, presumably to get as far away from Ginny as possible.Ginny just smiled.Maybe Ron was a teeny bit jealous?He might just have a touch of the "Cho Chang" complex, as she called it.Extreme jealousy of the beloved of the object of your affection.Or something like that.She looked up just in time to see Hedwig shoot through the window."That'll cheer Ron up, anyway," she told the owl."A letter from Harry.Well, go on, find him, he's downstairs somewhere.I just hope he doesn't mention Hermione in the letter."  
  


As it turned out, only a few minutes had elapsed when Ginny heard Ron roar from below, "F-Fleur?Coming _here_?But – but _why_?To see Harry?Since when did she have any interest in Harry?Since when-"  
  


Or maybe, thought Ginny, she was wrong about the whole Hermione thing.But in any case, Ron was acting extremely odd – odder than he normally acted, that was.  
  


"I haff to sort out a few things with the team manager," Krum explained to Hermione."I vos going to show you the gardens today, but this came up at the last moment.Can you wait till later, Herm-own-ninny?"  
  


"I'll have a look myself, Viktor," Hermione said calmly, but inside she was rather angry.She had so wanted to see the gardens from Krum's perspective, hear the stories behind them, anything to get the two of them closer together.She couldn't help thinking that Harry, with all his love for Quidditch, wouldn't be running off all the time on her, even if _he_ played for the Bulgarian national team – or England, which really was more plausible.She was convinced that Harry _would_ play for England someday though.Hadn't Wood said he thought he would turn out better than Charlie, Ron's brother?And everyone in Gryffindor House went on about how good Charlie Weasley had been at Quidditch… but then again, they didn't so much anymore, because they had Harry Potter now.  
  


She missed the two of them, though she wouldn't have admitted it to them… well, not to Ron anyway.She could just imagine what he would say.He had already slighted Viktor at the Ball, she remembered it as if it had been yesterday."Why don't you call him Vicky?"Harry had been as shocked as she was.Since when had Ron been so resentful towards Krum?For goodness sake, Krum had been the only word on his lips during the Quidditch World Cup, and yet now here he was, turned against him.Her heart did whisper that he had been jealous.But really, what proof did she have?It wasn't logical, she had told herself so many times before.Get a grip of yourself, Hermione!She had never lost control of her mind so much as she had when trying to figure out Ron Weasley.It was impossible.  
  


"I shall see you later, okay?I von't be too long," Viktor promised her, looking at her worriedly.Hermione realized she had been quiet for quite some time, and forced a smile."That's all right, Viktor, take as long as you want."He gave her a reassuring look and turned away, before Disapparating.Hermione stared at the space where he had been for a long time.Then she re-entered the country castle, and found her parents talking away with Viktor's father about the strains of having a talented child.Hermione made as if to leave, but not before Viktor's mother offered her some of her homemade cake.Feeling the gardens could wait, Hermione took it gratefully, and wondered desperately if Harry and Ginny had got her letters yet, and whether Ron was angry with her or not yet.

  
  


**_Thanks to:_**

**leogrl** - I'm not revealing if it will be H/H or not, you'll just have to wait and see, but I'm happy you like the story!Thanks for reviewing :)

**Aamandyiah **- Well, afraid that possibility didn't last, but there will be danger coming up... and serious danger, I mean it!

**Tahlya** - Sorry, I know people know about Book 4, but I just automatically write it!I don't know why!I'm trying to believe I'm JK and writing Book 5, I suppose :)Very glad you think it's "cool"!

**~*Draco's Cheer Chic*~** - Thanks, I have written more, as you can see!Hope this part hasn't wrecked it for you!

**skyiela** - Yes, it is rather unusual of Hermione not to write, isn't it? ;)Then again she has a lot of things to deal with at the moment... Fleur is one of my favourite characters, so I wanted to bring her back - Great to know you feel the same!

And more people review, please, my life depends on it!I will thank you here if you do! *makes puppy dog eyes*Part 3 soon, and I promise Fleur will arrive very very soon also!

   [1]: mailto:reelworld@iol.ie



	3. Three

**GABRIELLE - The Return of Voldemort**

_A Harry Potter Fanfiction_   


Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
**Three   
  
**

"Arthur! Come quickly!" Molly Weasley cried. Lifting The Daily Prophet off the wooden table where the tawny owl had dropped it, and tightening the belt of her dressing gown, she waved it frantically as her husband rushed down the stairs into the kitchen, tripping over his robes as he ran. 

"There's been a killing. Diana Fletcher. Why didn't you tell me?" 

Arthur snatched the paper from her hands and began scanning the front-page article distractedly. "Because I didn't know... That's Mundungus' young niece, isn't it? The Death Eaters obviously haven't planned very well... if that's an attempt to get him on their side, then it's not a very good one. I should think he'll have lent Dumbledore his full support." 

Ron suddenly appeared in the doorway. "What's that? Dumbledore?" 

"Ron, go back to bed!" his mother shrieked, with a little more panic in her voice than she had meant to show. Two loud pops sounded in her ears. "Oh!" Behind her stood the twins, grinning broadly. "Apparating," said Fred, in a self-satisfied tone evidently meant to imitate Percy's, "is a far more economical way of travelling downstairs for one's breakfast than traversing down all those stairs. Is it not, my dear brother?" 

"I must say, it is simply spiffing, Frederick," was George's smirking reply. Their mother, however, was outraged. "You're not supposed to Apparate. You haven't got your license yet..." 

"How are we supposed to practise then?" asked George indignantly. 

"Percy managed!" Molly roared. "If you just took after him a bit more, but no..." 

The twins grimaced simultaneously at the mention of Percy's name, but for once, they rather wisely said nothing. Ron, however, interrupted once more. "Where is Percy anyway?" 

"Gone to pay his respects, of course," Molly said briskly. "Diana Fletcher was a great friend of Penelope's; she was a Ravenclaw Prefect, or so Percy said." 

"Trust Percy to have a record of everyone in the wizarding world who was made a Hogwarts Prefect," muttered Fred, but thankfully his mother didn't seem to hear his comment. "We'd better have breakfast quickly," she cried, and immediately went to the frying pan. No one said a word until Bill entered the room, closely followed by Ginny, who was still sleepy-eyed. 

"Diana's been killed?" Bill asked, eyes dulled. "I get the Prophet owled to me every morning, remember?" he added, before his mother could ask where he had heard the news. "It's hard to get British wizarding news when you're in Egypt." 

"Who was Diana Fletcher?" Ginny asked quickly, as if saying the name slowly would cause her pain of some kind. 

"A friend of Penelope's," said Fred, in between bites of toast. (Mrs Weasley had just produced sausage, bacon and toast with a wand flick that Ginny despaired of ever being able to perform.) 

"Not only that," said Mr Weasley, "but she's a niece of Mundungus Fletcher's. The Death Eaters are clearly on to him." He sipped his tea solemnly. 

Ginny looked like forming a question again, so Ron asked it for her. "Who's Mundungus Fletcher, Dad?" 

"That nutter who claimed insurance on a mansion at the Quidditch World Cup, d'you remember?" quipped George. "Percy was up the wall, said he knew Mundungus had been sleeping under a coat and sticks. More sausages, Mum?" 

Mrs Weasley handed him the bowl of cocktail sausages without saying anything. 

"But why do the Death Eaters want to get to him?" Ginny asked. "Was Mundungus Fletcher a Death Eater, before Harry stopped You-Know-Who?" At her words, a look passed between Molly and Arthur that none of their offspring could decipher. 

"Sausages, Ginny?" Bill asked brightly, holding the bowl out to her.   
  
  
  
  
"Viktor! We haff been vondering ven you would show up!" Svetlana Krum frowned at her son as he suddenly Apparated into the immaculate room, scaring Dr. & Dr. Granger out of their wits. They hadn't seen much of Apparating before they had come to Bulgaria. 

"I am sorry... I am sorry..." Viktor panted, trying to recover his breath. Hermione, who had been sitting in the corner with a large volume entitled _Bulgaria: A Wizarding History_, suddenly looked up and gasped. "Viktor? There's... there's blood on your robes." 

"Viktor, vot happened to you? Ver you attacked?" The tall form of Dimitar Krum immediately stood before his son. He knew nothing of compromise. It was enough to say of his character that he was a prominent official in the Bulgarian Ministry of Magic, despite being twenty years younger than many of his colleagues at the same level. He was a man of huge ability, though with very different talents to his heir. 

Viktor shook his head, and for one fleeting second Hermione believed he was going to burst into tears. "It is only that... ve trained well, that vos not the problem. But I saw..." He suddenly paused, rooted to the spot, his mouth forming the word that his voice would not. 

"Oh, Viktor, vot did you see?" cried Svetlana impatiently. Her guests looked on in suspense. 

"I saw Yuliya!" he shouted suddenly. All of a sudden, behind him, the window pane smashed. His parents stared at each other, then at the window. 

"It is not true," pronounced Dimitar with some difficulty. "She is dead, ve all know that, Viktor..." 

"I saw her!" repeated Viktor. "She vos calling me, telling me to join her. I fell off my broom. I vos not very high in the air at that time," he added, seeing his mother's face turn whiter. "But I heard her voice!" 

"You are not yourself!" barked his father. "You vill sit now, and entertain your guests!" But Svetlana stood motionless, as if paralysed, and suddenly screamed. "Yuliya! Yuliya, Yuliya!" Dimitar took her arm, and seemed to be trying to pacify her by rocking her like a child, and whispering to her in Bulgarian. After a few minutes, with the Grangers a captive audience, Svetlana came out of her trance, and looked around the room. 

"I think I am tired now," she announced hoarsely. "I am sorry for you," turning to Hermione's mother, "but I think, Daphne, that Viktor vill be able to entertain you. In his own way." The eyes bore heavily into her son's at the last words. "I bid you good night." 

"Good night," echoed the Grangers as one. Dimitar nodded curtly at them, and helped Svetlana out of the room. There was a stilted silence in the room. Hermione began to think that she should hold off telling Viktor the news he so badly needed to hear. The Doctors Daphne and Richard Granger, meanwhile, looked nothing short of bemused.   
  
  
  


  
Dear Harry, 

There's been horrible things going on, in case you haven't heard from Sirius or Hagrid already. Six Muggles were tortured last night in a village in the North, and some woman called Diana Fletcher has been killed. I don't know who she is, but she's a friend of Percy's girlfriend, you know, that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater. Anyway, Ginny and I were asking Mum and Dad about her at breakfast. Turns out her uncle is Mundungus Fletcher - some idiot who claimed compensation at the Quidditch World Cup, said the Death Eaters had 'damaged his accommodation', well of course they hadn't, least not his. But Ginny asked if Fletcher was a Death Eater before You-Know-Who , well, when he fell, and they wouldn't saya thing. Just kept giving each other meaningful looks. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? I wonder what they're hiding from us this time. It won't last long - Fred and George reckon they'll find out sooner or later. 

That's, em, good about Fleur coming to see you. But you will be sure not to introduce me or anything? I mean, I don't mind, but she sort of knows me already. It might be awkward for her, and you wouldn't to make her uncomfortable. 

So. Yes. I've heard Hermione's OK, she owled Ginny. Ginny's reading the message now. I wonder why she didn't owl me, did I say something? Typical girls. And now Ginny won't tell me anything she said. __

Ron_   
  
  
  
_

Dear Hermione,

I'm glad to hear you're OK. I mean, I never doubted it for a second, but Ron - well, he's been really panicky about you. He does care, he's just not sure how to show it. I promise you that much is true.

Well, enough about my brother. How is Viktor? Is he treating you well? How do your parents like Bulgaria? Do you know what time you're coming home? Sorry for all the questions, but you haven't written in ages! So naturally I'm going to be curious. If you're reading up on the Goblin Rebellions like you say, then you don't seem to be giving Viktor much time. Relax, it's a holiday! These are the things I know Ron would never say in a letter, but you really do need to hear them. __

I know you receive _The Daily Prophet, so I won't bore you with the latest events here, only to say that they look to be getting worse. Dad and Percy are up to their eyes in work. I sometimes wonder how they manage to get enough time to come home at night. _

Enjoy yourself, and remember - relax!

Love, __

Ginny x_   
  
  
  
  
To: Agent Ammon_

From: Agent Electra_   
  
_

Operation Yuliya, systems go._   
  
_

E.

**Thanks to:**

supafynechick (thank you, although the Hermione thing was never meant to be major, just to make Ron all nervous!)

Aamandyiah (LOL, you want danger, you'll get it) 

L-DOG (a loyal H/H-er! Well as I said, I'm keeping my options open!) 

Tahlya (no, I'm not stating what ship/s, if any, this fic will take! Mainly cos I still don't know!) 

One of Grace (yep, I promise Fleur will appear - just needed a little bit of tension to set in) 

Sida (well, here's more) 

Laughing my head off (thanks, glad you like it) 

Takeruto (lol, it worked?) 

fledge (Thanks for the encouragement!) 


	4. Four

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Gabrielle

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by Undercover Angel

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**Author notes:** Thanks to everyone for their encouragement, especially Wicker Basket who reminded me to post this chapter!! Much appreciated! In this chapter very little is revealed, but it is fundamental to the rest of the story. Plot seeds are sown here. Watch this space. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


Chapter Four

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"Give it to me." It was a command, not a request. He himself may have been the one in his full body, with all his bones intact, excepting one finger which for his own survival, had been forsaken. But he knew who was boss. He slowly placed the crumpled paper on the side of the chair.

"Yes." The voice sounded satisfied. "That should be satisfactory... that should... and..." It suddenly stopped.

"My Lord?" Pettigrew asked, when after several minutes he could only hear the heavy breathing of his master.

"Silence!" He retreated into submission again. "There is a problem with the Hogwarts Champion."

"Surely you, with your powers, can overcome any problem, my Lord..."

The flattery rarely worked, and when it didn't, Peter found he could always tell instantly. He heard the roar and crouched to the ground, his knees shaking.

"You are_ a coward, aren't you, Wormtail?" Peter winced at the sound of his old nickname being used by the... thing... he had forsaken that name for. "But then again, how else could I have had you to serve me otherwise? James Potter wouldn't have betrayed his friends... he preferred to die instead, the fool. But you - you were most useful. Even if it was the only task you _ever_ performed for me."_

"You will come in use again, though, I trust. This Diggory boy, I find, may be impossible to trace - for the moment at least. His father is a Ministry official... almost as hard to get to as Potter... it would be unwise to tread so closely to discovery. For I have not my full powers. But you will ensure that I do have them..."- here the voice paused, as a cruel smile grew across the distorted face - "...Wormtail."

"What do you plan to d-do, Master?"

"You will learn in good time, my dear Wormtail! The plans involving the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons champions are underway?"

"Yes, M-My Lord."

Voldemort gave a triumphant smile. Peter tried to block out the face of James Potter, which had entered his head at that particular moment. Survival meant blocking out sentimentality. Everyone knew that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It is possible that he may be of help," said Arthur Weasley wearily, "but I somehow doubt it, Percy."

"Minister Fudge should be informed at once!" Percy responded briskly. "I do understand Professor Dumbledore is slightly concerned about his initial reaction to the affair, but he is an extremely, ah, liberal man, even if we have to, ah, make contact with the giants."

"From what your mother and Bill told us, there seems no likelihood of that ever coming to pass. Cornelius seemed vaguely frightened of the idea."

"Well, of course he would _seem_ that way, but Father, the Professor just sprang that announcement on him! With no warning at all! How could Mr. Fudge be composed? The giants, after all, have caused innumerable deaths among the wizarding community!"

"You-Know-Who is back, Percy, it had to be sprang' on him, as you put it. There is no time to lose. I doubt very much if the man will change his mind now."

"But- " Percy looked as if he had more to say, but was cut short immediately by his father.

"Percy, you will not utter a word of this to anyone in the Ministry, I hope! Promise me. It would not be honourable to break your word."

"I promise, Father," Percy said pompously, in a louder voice than Arthur would have liked. "Except to Amos, of course. Since he is still part of the plan, I presume?"

"He is, as far as I have been informed." Arthur sighed. "Poor Amos. To think, that if Cedric hadn't touched the Cup- " He didn't continue. Percy had already disappeared into the depths of his office. His father sat down on the step opposing the doorway of the Department of Magical Co-operation and wondered where he and Molly had erred in the bringing up of Percy that had been different to the others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus Snape polished the small test tube with a ferocity that he rarely applied to anything else. His beloved potions equipment must be spotless before use - and now was the time that he needed the use of his own personal set more than ever.

A sudden change in the air alerted him to an arrival. He immediately raised his chin with importance, before turning to stare the visitor in the eye.

"Ah, Professor Dumbledore." _Fancy meeting you here._ But of course, he had been expecting the Headmaster for some time.

"Severus." His eyes twinkled slightly, but not quite with the humour that Snape usually expected.

"Is there bad news?"

"Ah, not quite. You know about Diana Fletcher, I presume."

"I heard it on the WWN." Snape gestured to the wireless radio to the other side of his collection of test tubes.

"Ah. Then I have other news to import on you." Dumbledore paused. "You may not like to hear it."

"I have no choice either way, do I?" Snape asked him bitterly.

"I presume that was a rhetorical question, Severus, but you are quite right, you don't. My first piece of news is that your past pupil, Mr. William Weasley, will be joining our team very shortly."

Snape made a face. _Another Weasley - terrific. Even if he _was_ slightly better at Potions than his younger siblings._ "I am so looking forward to working with him."

"Dear, dear, Severus, the summer sunshine hasn't addled your brain at any rate." Dumbledore's eyes showed their more familiar twinkle once more. "Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, I must remind you. The second announcement I have to make is that Mr. Weasley will be joined by our friend from Canada, Monsieur Raymond Laverne."

Snape's eyes bulged and his nose twitched with a sudden anger. "Laverne! That French-Canadian twat who-"

"Severus, you _will_ cooperate with him. It is trying enough for me to organise some sort of truce between you and Mr. Black, without you wishing to wage war on another of our colleagues." Dumbledore looked calmly into Snape's face, watching his jaw tighten at the thought.

"This bloody war means we have to _cooperate_ with all sorts, doesn't it?" He spat on the ground as a thought came to him. "Like you had to cooperate with me." Dumbledore said nothing in response. Snape's mind returned to Laverne, and his blood boiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This whole magical malarkey of yours, Hermione, is really starting to get to me," Richard Granger announced to his daughter. Viktor had left the room without ceremony to wander about the grounds of the house, and they remained in the room with Hermione's mother. The two elder Grangers were more than a little alarmed by the sequence of events that had commenced after Viktor's return from Quidditch training.

"Sometimes I don't like it either, Dad, but it's part of me. It's in my blood!" She had had this argument with them several times before, but never had she felt in more danger. It was getting harder to sound confident about the situation.

"Who is this Yuliya they keep talking about?" Daphne Granger asked, for what Hermione thought must be the thousandth time.

"I- I don't know, Mum, but I think you shouldn't ask Viktor about it. He's very upset."

"As if I would!" crowed her mother, but Hermione had a feeling that had she not checked her, Daphne might have done just that.

"Hermione, I hope you're going to tell that boy that we have to leave here very soon," her father added gruffly. "You know it's difficult for us- "

"I know," Hermione interrupted shortly. "And I will - just... give me a little bit of space. He's really upset. Go to bed, right?" she finished lamely.

"You know best, dear." Daphne Granger kissed her daughter's head. "Come on, Richard!" Hermione could hear the click of her heels as she left the room, and the sound carried on, though more distant, as she strode down the corridor. Richard, however, remained standing before his daughter.

"Tell him, Hermione," he said more gently. "Before it's too late." And he turned on his heel to follow his wife, before Hermione could make any reply.

She waited a while in silence, listening to her father's footsteps echo away, and then pursued Viktor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Viktor, you know my parents are Muggles."

"Yesss," he muttered, eyes averted from Hermione, half his face in shadow.

"And they're scared at the moment. You coming back from Quidditch practise with all that blood, and your mother overreacting like that, it's alarming for anyone. It was alarming for me, imagine what it was like for non-magical people like them!"

"If they don't like it, they can leave." He seemed unresponsive, not like his usual self.

Hermione started, amazed at his lack of concern. "Then you know where you can-" _Whack._ She'd knocked him clean over. She gaped at his still form beneath her. "Viktor, I didn't mean to hit you that hard... I only wanted to..."

"I know what you wanted to do," Viktor replied slowly, again without feeling.

"Well, then can you answer me something? Who is Yuliya?"

No answer.

"Viktor, please." Hermione persisted. "Is she your sister?"

"I have a sister - but not her. My sister's name is Vanya, she is ten years my senior. She is a Potions Assistant at the École Magicale de Laverne."

Though part of Hermione was impatient with Viktor for changing the subject, the tone of his voice intrigued her. She suspected he needed to unload some thoughts, and so she continued the conversation with: "I thought Beauxbatons was the only recognised wizarding school in France."

"It is, yes. Laverne is in Canada, in Quebec."

Aha! No wonder. That would mean it couldn't have been in _An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe_, thought Hermione, briefly distracted by the fact. She soon got her mind back on track however. "But... I don't understand, Viktor. How come you never mentioned Vanya to me?"

"There vos no need," he said, avoiding her earnest look. "I do not see Vanya often."

"Because she lives so far away, you mean?"

"Well... yes, there is that. It is complicated."

"Tell me," said Hermione.

Viktor exhaled deeply. "Vanya and I - she is not my full-blood sister. My father vos married vonce before - to Vanya's mother. Vanya is my half-sister."

"I see."

"Ven Vanya vos nine, her mother, Hristina, and my father split up. A veek following their divorce, Hristina learnt from a mutual friend that my father had married a young vitch, just graduated from Durmstrang - my mother. She never forgave him for that. I think she suspected that they had been having an affair during their marriage, and that vos the reason he left her."

"And Vanya is bitter towards your mother because of that?"

"Yes, most certainly. Vanya's mother encouraged her to hate her. My father alvays had trouble ven Vanya came to stay."

"But she likes you - even though you are your mother's son?" Hermione was incredulous.

"I am more like my father than my mother. Besides, Vanya vos an only child before I vos born. She has no brothers or sisters apart from me."

"Why did she leave Bulgaria?" They were walking further away from the house as she spoke.

"Many reasons. She got a degree in Chemistry in a Muggle university in Sofia. And then... she did not vish to stay. Her mother had died halfvay through her college education, it vos hard to find work, and she did not vant to rely on my father, not vhile my mother remained in the house. Also, she vanted to specialise in Magical Chemistry, and everyvun knows there are only two places to do that."

"Boston, USA. Is that the one?"

"No, she vent to the other one. Greenwich, in London."

"London? But..." Hermione was at a loss. "I never knew of such a place!"

"It vos set up during the var between Voldemort and the Light Side. The Ministry there took steps to make sure it vos never heard of, in case the Death Eaters got vord and destroyed the place."

"And then after she finished in Greenwich, she got that job in Canada."

"Precisely, yes." Viktor's face looked troubled.

"So who is Yuliya?"

Again, Viktor avoided her gaze. "Do not ask me that, Hermione. Not now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry frowned as he read over the owl, which Hermione had sent him half an hour previously. He had known Hermione was a worrier usually, but this was ridiculous.

__

Harry,

Stay safe. I read about Diana Fletcher. Remember - you're not to leave the Muggles. Dumbledore said so. And if staying with the Dursleys means You-Know-Who can't get at you, then I fully agree with him.

Love from,

Hermione

Did she really think he _wanted_ to get killed? To end up like Cedric? To let his mother's sacrifice be for nothing? No - more than ever before, Harry wanted to live.

"_BOY_!" Uncle Vernon's bellow from downstairs told him there was something amiss. "Come here this instant! I told you if I ever saw any of your _friends_ around here again-"

__

My friends? thought Harry blankly. Perhaps it was Ron, come round to cheer him up on account of not being able to go to the Burrow this summer. Or maybe Fred and George? He just hoped they hadn't brought any Ton-Tongue Toffees again, he didn't want to suffer the sound of Aunt Petunia's squealing again. Rushing down the stairs in an effort to get to the Weasleys as soon as possible, he tripped over something on the last step. Hastily he picked it up and stared in amazement. It was a silken scarf unlike any he had seen Aunt Petunia wear.

"Hello?" he called hesitantly.

A lithe figure approached him, followed by an irate Uncle Vernon. "'Ello, 'Arry," it said. "It ees wonderful to see you again!"

>


End file.
